Photomechanical machine



Patentd Jan. 20, 1931 HARRY C, JONES, F NEW'YORK, N. Y.

PHOTOIECHANICAL MACHINE Application aled Iarch 9,

This invention relates to photomechanical apparatus as employed in reproducing an image from a negative, upon an object having a sensitized blank surface.

In this specification the term negative is used as referrin generically to any translucent substance, earing the configuration of an object, such as a photographlc plate, a film of Celluloid or equivalentmaterial, a

sheet of paper or of textile fabric, the same being treated to rmit the passage of light except through t e image, or its surroundin surface, as the case may be.

e term blankf is to be understood as applied to a plate, film or sheet provided with an emulsified or sensitized coating, such as metallic salts in solution, adapted to be acted upon by the actinic pro erties of light ra s, the blank preferred 1n t e present case belng a thin late or sheet of zinc.

Machines or this purpose are ordinarily quite clum require very considerable space, require hig ly skilled operators vand are initially almost prohibitive in ex ense.

Thel apparatus herein descri ed is quite similar to that shown and described in my co-pending application for photo-mechanicalmachines, filed March 13, 1926, Serial Number 94,421, which relates more particularl to means for adjusting the negative wit reference to the blank in a manner to superpose the negative predeterminately and with precision, and to which this application is to be regarded as a com anion. v

One of the objects of t e present invention is to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive apparatus of the nature described, capable of being easily and accurately operated bya comparatively unskilled operator.

A further feature resides in the reduction of manufacturing costs, due to the simplification in construction and improvements which will become apparent as the description progresses, the same being illustrated in the accom anying drawing, forming part hereof, the ligure shown bein a rear elevational view of a preferred embo iment of the invention.

The ap aratus includes a base 10, essentially an elbngated rectangle in plan on which 5 is supported a suitable frame including up- 1921. serial 11. 118,811.

rights 11 and 12, connected by a cross beam 13 at their upper ends secured together to constitute a rigid frame.

The right hand upright 11 has undercut grooves 14, in its face adjacent the sides, to receive correspondin inreaching guides formed on the rear 0% a vertically movable slide` 15 and to this slide is securely bolted an arm or beam-like member 16 extending rigidly at a right angle ast the face of the upright 12, to which it 1s slidably engagedby a lug- 17 operative in a longitudinal recess 18 in the upright. The beam-like member is adapted to support a suitable carrier for holding a negative in a face-to-face relation to asensitized blank, as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

An internally threaded block 19, carried by the arm 16, extends through an elongated opening 20 in the face of the upright 11 to engage a jack-screw 21 'ournalled in the lower portion of the uprig t.

On the lower end of the jack-screw 21 is fixed a spurgear 22 driven by a. gear train (not shown) in operative connection with a u reversiblemotor 23 by which the arm may be positively and speedil moved u and down, such movement bein filcilitated Ey a counterbalancing device `in icated by the cable 2 4, attached to an eye set in the slide 15 and running over pulleys 25 rotatably mounted at the ends of the beam 13 to a weight (not shown) at the rear ofthe u right 12.

The arm 16 is provide along its upper surface with an undercut guidewa 27 to en- 55 gage a cooperating groove forme in a cai'- riage 28 having a transverse, raised undercut guideway 29 used to carry a negative plate holder registry frame support 30 movable by a screw 31. 9

A screw 32 is revolubly mounted in bearings at the ends of the arm 16 to extend lengthwise thereover and is in threaded engagement with some part of the carriage 28, thereby providing means for moving the car- 5 riage and elements carried by it when the screw is rotated.

The screw 32 is driven in either direction by a gear train contained in the gear box 33, the train being actuated by a splined vertical m shaft 34 driven by a motor 35, thus shifting the carriage 28 along the arm 16 in either direction, nal adjustment of the carriage being obtainable by use of the hand wheel 36, rough adjustment being indicated by an index finger 37 as it moves over a scale 38 on the arm below the guideway 27.

Mounted on the support Vis a registry frame 40 vto which is hingedly connected at one of its lateral edges a lamp hood 41, here shown in an loutturned open position, provided with a catch 42 engageable with a corresponding fixed element on the opposite side' by screws 49, the free ends of the catches reaching over the frame on any lof its four edges.

In the present embodiment a vacuum is used to draw the negative into printing relation with a blank carried on a suitable support or press bed 50 having scales 51 on each of its four edges, the bed being arranged to assume a vertical position, parallel -and closely adjacent the negative as carried in the holder 46, a highly flexible seal, not shown, as rubber, being carried circumjacent the negative in a manner well understood.

. Entering into the intervening space between the edge of the negative and inner portion of the seal is a Hexible tube 52, its

outer end communicating with a vacuum valve 53 controlled by a hand lever 54 or an extension lever 55, the same being convenient from the end of the machine and operatively engaging the valverod, this valve being 1n communication with an air pump by which the vacuum is produced.

It is to be understood however that the operation of the machine is not confined to the vacuum system, as it is clearly apparent that other equally efficient mechanical means may be substituted for the means described.

Due to the extreme accuracy in adjustments necessary to the satisfactory operation of the machine, highly refined features for vattaining the same are disclosed in lthe men,-

tioned pending application and need not be repeated here, this application' being substantially confined to the novel mechanicall features of support, adjustment and negative frame securing means.

the bed 50 and held in position by any convenient means as usual on similar machines, the blank being positioned in accordance with the scales 51, either from the center or corners of the bed. l

The registry frame carrier is moved into position for exposure, the bed having reviously been raised, the negative in its rame adjusted on the carrier to be clamped in position, thereafter the vacuum applied, the lamp -swung into operative position, fixed therein and the imprint made.

However, as changes of construction could be made within the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as-illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let.- ters Patent, is v 1. A photomechanical apparatus comprlsing a base having a pair of rigid uprights, a slide engaging one of said uprights to move vertically thereon, a horizontal arm on said slide extending to and guided on the other of said uprights, a carriage slidably engaged on said arm, a transverse slide on said carriage, a negative frame carrier on said slide, means for adjustably securing a negative frame therein, a lamp associated with said carrier,

and a sensitized blank-supporting bed pary allel with said negative frame.

2. In a photomechanicall apparatus, the combination with' a negative frame carrier. and a negative frame disposable thereagainst, of dowel pins iixed in said carrier at diametrically opposed points, a pair of dowel receiving arms pivoted on said frame to selectively engage the dowel pins, and means for clamping said arms when in adjusted positions.

3. In a photomechanical apparatus, the combination with a negative frame carrier and a negative frame disposable thereagainst, of dowel pins fixed in said carrier in horizontal and vertical planes relative to the center of the carrier, dowel arms pivoted on said'frame to engage with either the horizontal or vertical dowel pins, and knurled knobs associated with the pivots of said arms whereby they may be clamped when. in adjusted position.

4. In a photomechanical apparatus, the combination with a negative frame carrier and a negative frame disposable thereagainst, of a pair'of dowel pins fixed in said carrier at 'points directly above and below respectively and a pair of dowel -pins one at each side of the center line of said carrier, pivoted dowel arms carried adjustably on said frame to selectively engageeither pair of said dowel pins, means for clamping said arms in adjustment, and catches pivoted on said carrier to engage said frame.

5. In a photomechanical a paratus, the combination with a negative rame carrier, and a negative frame disposable thereagainst, ofy dowel pins fixed in said carrier at diametrically opposed points, a air of dowel receiving arms pivoted on sai frame to selectively engage the dowel pins, means for clamping said arms when in adjusted positions, and means for securing the adjusting means to cause the replacement of the negative after removal to result in the negative occupying the. same relative position as before remova 6. In a photomechanical apparatus, the combination with a negative frame carrier and a negative frame disposable thereagainst, of a pair of dowel pins fixed in said carrier at points directly above and below respectively, and a pair of dowel pins one at each side of the center line of said carrier, pivoted dowel arms carried adjustably on said frame to selectively engage either pair of said dowel pins, means for clamping said arms in ad- ]ustment, catches pivoted on said carrier to engage said frame, and means for securing said adjusting means to cause the replacement of the negative after removal to result in the negative occupying the same relative position as before removal.

7. In a photomechanical apparatus, a single frame consisting of a base and uprights rigid thereon, a support carried by said frame for Aholding a sensitized blank in a given position, a carrier for holding a negative in a face-to-face relation to the sensitized blank, and means for adjustably supporting said carrier in front of said blank and including a single beam-like member mounted upon said upri hts for -vertical movement thereon and or only 'vertical movement in relation to said base.

8. In a photomechanical apparatus, a sin le frame consisting of a base and uprig ts rigid thereon, a support carried by said frame for holding a. sensitized blank in a given position, carrier-supporting means mounted upon said u ri hts for vertical movement thereon and) or only vertical movement in relation to said base and including a single beam-like member, a carrier mounted upon said beam-like member for both longitudinal and transverse movements with respect to such beam-like member, said carrier being adapted to hold a negative in a face-to-face relation to the sensitized blank, mea-ns for raising and lowering said beamlike member with said carrier thereon, means for moving said carrier longitudinally of said beam-like member, and means for moving said carrier transversely-of said beam-like member, the last three means being operable inde endently of each other to effect vertical, longitudinal and transverse adjustments of said carrier.

9. In a photomechanical apparatus, a single frame consisting of a base and uprights rigid thereon, a support carried by,

single beam-like member, a carrier mounted upon said beam-like member for both longitudinal and transverse movements with respect to such beam-like member, saidcarrier being adapted to hold a negative in a faceto-face relation to the sensitized blank, a guide for insuring movement of said carrier on the beam-like member parallel to the sensitized plate, a second guide for insuring movement of the carrier transversel of the beamlike member toward and away rom the sensitized blank along a line normal to the same without disturbing the arallel relation of the carrier to the sensitized plate, whereby, on the one hand, face-to-face engagement of the negative with the sensitized blank is insured reparatory to the printing operation and wliereby, on the other hand, a suicient spacing of the negative from the sensitized plate is insured to enable the carrier to be moved parallel to the sensitized blank, means for raising and lowering said beam-like member with said carrier thereon, means for moving said carrier longitudinally of said beamlike member, and means for moving said carrier transversely of said beam-like member y alon said line normal to the sensitized blank, the ast three means being operable independentl of each other to effect vertical, longitudinal and transverse adjustments of said carrier.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 25th day of February, A. D. 1927.

HARRY C. JONES. 

